Comment on China’s EVs, LLMs and the stopping power of the real world by Wangqi Bridge

The debate about AI consciousness is growing, in academic articles, newspaper opinion pieces, and even among AI bots themselves. I doubt this is a passing wave of interest. As AI systems become more capable and…

TOKYO – Two words sprang to mind when the Bank of Japan lifted its policy rate to a 31-year high of 1.25% on Friday: Scott Bessent. No, the US Treasury secretary didn’t cause the 25-basis-point increase announced by Governor Kazuo Ueda.…

Freeing an American from Myanmar’s custody is a diplomatic win. Turning that win into a case for trusting the country’s coup-maker, rights-abusing generals, however, would be a mistake. Adam Castillo, a former US Marine and…

It took just a few days for Houthi forces to seize most of Yemen’s Red Sea coast, including the shores of the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a crucial Red Sea maritime choke point. The offensive started on September 3, 2026, with a push to cut the…

BANGKOK – Authorities exhumed four human corpses on September 16 buried in an illegal “Jewish Cemetery” amid escalating investigations into Israelis allegedly breaking the law by deceptive real estate deals and lucrative…

Russia’s parliamentary elections will take place on Sept. 18-20, 2026, amid the ongoing war with Ukraine. Given the backdrop of an energy crisis, battlefield failures in Ukraine and fears of more national conscription at home, you might…

A recently published economic analysis estimates that President Donald Trump’s war with Iran has cost US consumers an average of $1,760 per household – including a total of $121 billion in extra spending on energy alone – since the…

Beijing has called for communication and pragmatism after European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen warned of a second “China Shock” that’s damaging key manufacturing industries in the bloc. The term “China…